Me no owny One Piece or Naruto.
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A couple of hours later, Naruto and Hinata were calmly down the path toward Nami no Kuni, Naruto's hands held behind his head as he grinned, enjoying the sunshine and just walking with his first true friend. Hinata likewise was enjoying just being around Naruto, at being able to be there for him, if only as his friend.
However, the euphoric feeling was slowly dissolving, and she frowned as she called out "Na-Naruto-kun?"
"Yeah?" he replied, and after a few moments of thought, Hinata asked "Wh-what are our plans?"
"Plans?" Naruto asked, then gave her a face-splitting smile as he said "Don't have one."
"Wh-what?" Hinata asked, stunned by the admission, to which the blonde merely shrugged as he replied "Eh, to be perfectly honest, I didn't think I'd even get this far. So for now, I'm merely going to travel, get me a good ship, and gather a strong crew."
"Why?" was her next question, and Naruto wrapped an arm around her shoulders, getting a startled 'eep!' from his compatriot as he said "Because that's what Tuechi-jiji said that pirates do! They get a good ship, gather a strong crew, then sail around, making a name for themselves! But I've already got a head start on the crew with you by my side, Hinata-chan!"
Blushing at the praise, Hinata asked "How do we d-do that?"
"Well, the second Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy mostly did it by fighting the 'World Government' and other pirate crews. I suppose we could do that too, but we'll have to get some more strong crew mates before we go after the World Government or the really strong pirate crews. Because there's only so much two people can do, even if it's us!" Naruto said.
Stopping, he removed his arm from Hinata, not noticing the soft whimper at the lost contact from Hinata as he placed a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun as he asked "Sooo Hinata-chan, what kind of crew should we have... besides strong, that is?"
Drawing in on herself, the girl tapped her index fingers together as she replied "Th-they should b-be like a fa-family... a na-nakama."
"Nakama, eh?" Naruto asked, looking at his friend, causing her to draw in even more on herself as she nodded, the blonde's smile growing as he said "That's a great idea Hinata-chan! If we're going to fight with them and trust them with our lives, then we should be a nakama! No time for stuck up temes or closet perverts in our crew!"
Taking hold of her wrist, he gave a self-assured grin and headed toward the nearest town with a exuberant cry of "Now, onward to gather that nakama, Hinata-chan!"
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Iruka sighed as he walked down the street toward Naruto's apartment, having felt about 2 inches tall since the Genin exam yesterday. The look of pure betrayal in Naruto's eyes yesterday had bothered the man since the blonde's third, and final, exam failure. He knew this would force his adopted little brother into the civilian world, dooming the child to practical slavery, forced to work twice as hard for not even a quarter of pay, if he can even find work.
'How do I... How can I apologize to Naruto for destroying his dreams and all but selling him into servitude just to survive?' Iruka thought bitterly. Stopping he looked away down a different street, considering just leaving the boy alone, and not wanting to have to deal with the hatred and distrust that the child would surely show him... not that he could blame him.
Sighing, he began walking down the street again, deciding 'I've got to talk to him, and pray that he can somehow forgive me, maybe see if I can find him a place in Konoha where he can at least survive, if not thrive...'
Walking like a man headed toward his execution, the brown-haired man made his way up the stairs and all to soon found himself standing before his former student's door, which looked like it had been painted over recently... which it most likely had been, due to grafetti he'd been forced to see several times.
Taking a deep, calming breath, he raised a hand and gave several firm knocks, calling through the door "Naruto, are you home? I need to talk to you! Please, just let me talk to you for a few moments, I want to explain!"
Not getting an answer, not even angry cries for him to just go away, Iruka frowned, panic beginning to flood him. Reaching for the doorknob, he tried it. Finding it unlocked, he turned the knob and swung the door open, revealing an empty front room.
"Naruto?" Iruka called, walking into the eerily quiet apartment. Studying his surroundings, he found the room's dressing Spartan at best, but knew the blonde spent so much money on food that he had little in the way of decoration budget.
"Naruto, are you home?" came another call, and Iruka opened his bedroom door, and felt his heart drop into his stomach at the two envelopes resting on the pillow of the unkempt bed. Rushing to it, he picked them up and stared at the names written on the front in Naruto's messy scrawl.
Finding the first addressed to the Hokage, he noticed the second was addressed to him. Ripping open the envelope, he pulled out the letter and quickly read it. Eyes widening as he read it, the teacher felt his legs weaken and he fell to his knees, eyes filling with tears as he read it, torn between sadness and joy.
'H-he doesn't blame me...' Iruka thought, a sorrowful smile on his face as he read how the young blonde had decided it'd be best if he just left the village and find a life elsewhere, away from the hatred and ignorance of the people, search for a better existance outside Konoha's walls.
Sighing, he folded up the note and slid it into a vest pocket, looking to the note addressed to the Hokage, also in Naruto's messy scrawl. Rising onto his feet, he took the note and tucked it away, exiting the apartment and heading toward the Hokage tower to inform the Sandaime of his former student's departure from Konoha.
The teacher already knew that he'd miss the young blonde, but he also knew that getting away from here was the best for his little brother. Maybe he'd find the happiness denied him in Konoha on the road, maybe even find some real friends.
Stopping on the road, he looked toward the sky, a sad smile on his face as he softly said "Goodbye Naruto."
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Hiashi stared at the note from his daughter, quickly written but impeccably neat, basically telling him of her decision to leave the village, which should make him happy, and apologizing for not being stronger. And knowing he did not have to deal with a weak heir did indeed make him happy. But it also infuriated him, because she lacked the Caged Bird Seal to protect the Byakugan from being stolen when she was eventually killed.
This left him in an perilous position, either allowing his daughter to traipse about unsealed and risking the safety of the Byakugan, or have the village ANBU bring the child back, where she could further disgrace the Hyuugas with her very existance.
Snarling, he crumpled up the note and tossed it away. Even when she was gone, that child was disappointing him.
Taking a few deep breaths, a sudden smile crossed his face as he realized something. Since his daughter was a failure, then her Byakugan was inferior, defective even. And that meant anyone who got a hold of her particular Byakugan was going to get a defective, useless version, hopelessly inferior to those possessed by himself, Hanabi, and even his nephew Neji.
Chuckling, he muttered "It seems that you've finally done one thing right in your life, Hinata." before turning to tell the Elders of this turn of events.
But deep within his heart, he felt a twinge of fear and sadness at Hinata's self-imposed exile. However, the stone that encased it quickly found and snuffed out that small bit of fatherly emotion.
Just as the elders had trained him to do.
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A look of great sadness crossed the wizened face of the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, as he read the note left to him by the blonde he'd come to think of as an elder grandson. He wanted to go out, find the blonde, and bring him home, treating it like an upset child running away from home because something didn't go his way.
Unfortunately, he was a realist and knew that doing so would have Danzou descend on the boy like the hawk he was, wanting to snap up what he saw as 'helpless prey', and taking the disobediant boy into his 'disbanded' Ne, to be made into Danzou's personal lapdog to be used toward the man's twisted purposes.
Sighing, the Hokage looked up to where Iruka sat, and at the look in the dark eyes, Iruka gave a sigh of his own. "We're not going to go after him at all, are we Hokage-sama?"
It wasn't a question.
"Unfortunately no, Iruka-san. Doing so would just force him back into a situation he doesn't deserve, and make him succeptable to certain individuals residing within Konoha." Hiruzen said, adding "Besides, you and I both know that technically the boy is a civilian, and we have no more jurisdiction over his coming and going from the village than any other civilian."
"But he's just 13!" the teacher said, and Hiruzen nodded as he said "Be that as it may, he was emancipated when I got him his apartment, declaring him an adult. The only thing that allowed him to get money from the orphan's fund was his age. But he won't be able to draw on that for too much longer even if we brought him home, and he had a valant point about not being able to get a job in Konoha."
"I know... I-I just wish I'd done more." Iruka muttered, Hiruzen replying "Me as well. I thought I was doing what was best for him, but it seems I just managed to fail him quite spectacularly. Hindsight's 20-20 after all, isn't that true Iruka-san?"
"Yes, it most certainly is." Iruka agreed, leaning back in his chair, rubbing his forehead, thinking of what the blonde must have gone through, must have felt to believe that leaving the village was better than remaining.
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Yawning like a tiger lazing in the shade, Naruto pushed his new straw hat over his eyes as he leaned back against the tree he was sitting beneath, arms behind his head as a pillow. Nearby, Hinata sat with an open map in her lap, filled with a mixture of happiness and fear. She was happy that she was away from the silent hatred of her family and with her Naruto-kun. But at the same time she was afraid that they would show up, take her back to be put under the Caged Bird seal, and possibly kill Naruto because they'd try and say he had kidnapped her.
As if reading her thoughts, Naruto grinned from beneath the rim of his hat as he said "Ne, Hinata, don't worry. If anyone comes after us from Konoha, I'll just beat'em up with my powerful punches." She smiled softly, knowing of his monstrous strength from secretly watching over him as he trained, and it was one of the things that first caused her admiration of the blonde.
"I-I brought a ma-map fr-from home, and it sa-says the-there's a small village nearby." Hinata murmured, and Naruto's smile grew as he said "Cool! That means we can get something to eat there, and get you some pirate clothes!"
"Wh-what do you mean?" she asked, and Naruto shrugged as he said "I like what you're wearing and all, but you need something more 'piratey' if you're going to be my first mate!"
"O-oh..." Hinata replied softly, a blush adorning her cheeks at hearing that. He had enough faith in her to make her his first mate, which sounded like a very important position in the crew.
"Yeah, we'll go there just as soon as I finish my nap..." Naruto said, yawning again before drifting off to sleep. Hinata couldn't surpress the soft giggles as she watched the sleeping blonde, his soft snoring filling the air, drool already trickling down his chin and threatening to drip onto his shirt.
Turning back to the map, Hinata continued studying it, planning their immediate travel plans. Naruto, bless his heart, seemed to be more of a 'vague outline' kind of guy, perferring to wing it or follow random impulses over actually sitting down and deciding what needs to be done.
Which meant that if she didn't want to wander in circles based on Naruto's impulsive and short attention span, she'd have to do the planning herself. This made the former Hyuuga heiress happy, because it meant that she was useful to and needed by the blonde 'captain', something that she never was with the Hyuuga clan.
Thinking about them made her sigh, wondering if they actually cared that she'd even left... beyond happiness they no longer had to put up with her 'weakness' anymore.
But such thoughts were pushed away by the appearance of several large men, each dressed in tattered clothes and carrying various large weapons.
"Well well, what do we have here? A couple of lost little kiddies, with noone to protect them." spoke a greasy-haired man wearing an eyepatch and carrying a club, the bald man next to him swinging what appeared to be a giant butcherknife as he said "Yeah, I think the capt'n will be just pleased with them!"
"Na-Naruto-kun..." the small Hyuuga spoke softly, backing away from the men, who began walking closer, grinning maliciously as the did so.
"Mmmm..." the sleeping blonde murred, and Hinata continued "We-we're being a-attacked..."
"Oh... OK." Naruto replied, and the men laughed as Hinata felt the fear rising up in her... Then the blonde shot to a sitting position, staring around him as he asked "We're being attacked?!"
"Yep brat. You're going to be joining the Iron Fist pirates whether ya like it or not!" spoke a red-head with a sickle, and Naruto frowned, crossing his arms as he said "Nope. Can't do it. I'm already a captain, so I can't very well be joining you guys!"
"Oh, a smartass, eh? Guess I got no choice but to beat ya into submission!" asked the 'leader', who charged with his club raised. Hinata cried out as Naruto leapt to his feet with a grin, readying a fist.
"Gomu Gomu no PISTOL!"
His fist rocketed forward, stretching until his knuckles cautch the man in the stomach, sending the man rocketing backwards, crashing through two trees before skidding to a stop, where he laid spasming.
"Whose next?" Naruto asked with a grin, pushing his hat up with his index finger. The other men looked from each other, to the blonde, and then their unconscious 'leader.'
"Go get'em Boshi!" said one, pushing the bald man forward, whose eyes widened as Naruto's grin grew predatory while awaiting the next attacker. Gulping, the bald man charged and swung his giant blade at Naruto in a horizontal stroke, which Naruto leapt over, stilling grinning like a fox in the henhouse.
"Gomu Gomu no STAMP!"
This time his foot rocketed forward, stretching until the sole of his flipflop slammed into his attacker's face, sending the unfortunate man rocketing backward until he slammed into three of his compatriots, bowling them over and leaving all four laying on the ground groaning. Landing in a crouch, Naruto's grin grew into a somewhat feral smile, as he cracked his knuckles, looking at the few standing men.
"So... Who're these 'Iron Fist' pirates anyways?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms as he leveled a stare at the remaining attackers.
"We-we-we're the rulers of Ganzaku Town nearby!" one of them stuttered, backing away from Naruto and Hinata, who stood next to the blonde.
"Hay Hinata-chan, where were we goin' for your pirate clothes again?" Naruto asked, and Hinata looked at the map as she said "Ga-Ganzaku Town."
"That's perfect! It means we can begin making a name for ourselves by beating up these Iron Fist pirates!" Naruto said with a grin to the midnight-haired Hyuuga, turning to the still frightened men as he said "And these guy's'll lead us there!"
"Says who?!" one of them asked, and Naruto jabbed a thumb at his chest as he said "Says me! Got a problem with'it?" as he readied himself in his fighting stance.
"N-n-no! Not at all!" the man replied, raising his hands in defeat, getting a nod from Naruto who said "Well then, hurry up and lead us to Ganzaku Town and yer boss, so I can beat'em up!"
As they turned, one of the standing men grinned as he said "The boss and his liuetenants'll put these brats in their place!"
"Yeah. I almost feel sorry for'em..." replied his friend, mirroring the grin.
"Hey! What'cha talkin' about?" Naruto asked, and the two men froze up, looking to the blonde slowly, fearful smiles on their faces as they replied "No-nothing!"
"Oh... OK." Naruto said with a nod, following the men with a grin.
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A/N: Sorry, fans of Will of Fire, but I'd written myself into a hole with Mera Mera no Mi Naruto. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way to challenge him besides suiton users, Haki users, and Orochimaru. And having him fight countless suiton and Haki users would make things too predictable.
Also, for those who dislike OC characters, you may as well stop reading now. OCs will be involved, and some will be major characters. In fact, Will of Fire's Sonomaru will return with a changed background and slightly different personality next chapter. Naruto's crew will consist of a mix of OCs, Anime-only, and manga characters, some with changed backgrounds, but otherwise the same.